Kilbreda College - 'Tower Talk'

3L – Language and Literacy 

for Learning

In 2022, our College will commence a two-year professional learning program which will include the implementation of the '3L -  Language and Literacy for Learning' program.

 

The implementation of the 3L program has come about as a result of feedback from VCE data and conversations about the opportunity to improve student literacy across the curriculum, evaluation of assessment data such as NAPLAN and Allwell, along with consultation with the Learning Leaders and other key members of the College.

 

Given the disruption to learning over the last 18 months and the impact literacy has on students across all domain areas, this program will provide a consistent approach for all teachers across all subjects. It will provide a common language for both staff and students and opportunities for both self-reflection and self-appraisal, improving students’ confidence and independence in their learning. 

 

The '3L - Language and Literacy for Learning' programis developed by Lexis Education and it is expected that both staff and students will learn:

  • how student literacy is a capacity for making meaning across the whole curriculum, predominantly through language and visuals,
  • the ways that language underpins learning,
  • teaching practices that will build up students’ language and visual resources so that they can be successful learners across all learning areas,
  • teaching practices that address student’s language and learning needs in a holistic and explicit manner,
  • positive strategies for self-reflection and self-appraisal, and
  • how to develop collaborative working relationships with other teachers across subject areas.

(https://lexised.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/3L-Brochure.pdf)

 

Another great benefit of the program is the ability to build the capacity of four of our teachers, who have recently completed an intensive four-day training program to be qualified 3L tutors. 

 

These tutors will complete the training with our staff in our PLC sessions every second Wednesday afternoon, with each tutor working with a small group of staff to teach the material and support them with its implementation in the classroom.

 

The eight units of work which make up the program are as follows:

  1. Language and literacy in teaching and learning
  2. The role of language in learning and scaffolding
  3. Learning about language: supporting students to comprehend texts (part 1)
  4. Learning about language: supporting students to comprehend texts (part 2)
  5. Developing students’ vocabulary
  6. Supporting writing
  7. Supporting listening and assessing language development
  8. Programming and assessing: setting up successful frameworks

The 3L tutors, Marian Le Bas, Ruth Myers, Alana Wright and Cara Mitchell, teach across a variety of learning areas including Food Studies, Dance, Drama, English and VCAL Literacy. Such breadth in the subject areas the tutors teach will be of great benefit in its implementation as it demonstrates that ability to embed the practices across all learning areas within the College.

 

When asked about the training and the benefits they see it will have for our staff and students they noted:

 

 

A major benefit will be to dispel ‘silo’ thinking by staff and students with subject areas – building language which works across all faculties. Also, 3L provides the tools for students to experience degrees of success.

Marian Le Bas

 

Learning how to view and use language with a functional framework has ‘literally’ changed the way I read students' work and provide feedback. I’m astonished that I have not engaged with this language framework in any depth prior to this. I think we really have a chance of increasing our students' grasp and use of language (meaning making) if we are able to roll this out across our College.

 

Ruth Myers

 

3L gives teachers a practical and systematic way to move students from everyday language towards the more formal and abstract. Implementing 3L processes across the College means that students will be able to improve their understanding of course content as they improve their literacy skills.

Cara Mitchell

 

I agree with all the comments above. There are so many aspects of the program that I see will have benefits for both staff and students. 

 

Alana Wright

 

The College thanks Marian, Ruth, Alana and Cara for their commitment to the teacher training course and the work that they will be doing over the next two years in the implementation phase. 

 

Tanya Kolb

Assistant Principal:

Staff